Pimm on HST: "I will hold my head high"

Peace River North MLA Pat Pimm said Tuesday he doesn’t agree with a decison by MLA Blair Lekstrom to resign from the cabinet and B.C. Liberal caucus over the harmonized sales tax.

“Obviously, that’s his decision and I don’t agree with it at this point in time and it’s not one I’m going to be following,” Pimm said in an interview.

“I’m not somebody that’s about to leave caucus. I got elected as a B.C. Liberal MLA and that’s what I will be at the end of the day,” he added.

Pimm’s comments come days after Lekstrom, who represents Peace River South, resigned as energy minister and left the Liberal caucus. Lekstrom left citing a disagreement with the government over the HST, including issues specific to his border riding.

Pimm’s riding is also on the B.C.-Alberta border, just north of Lekstrom’s.

On Tuesday, Pimm said he knows there is opposition to the HST in his riding, but added he plans to continue to back the tax because he thinks it is the right thing for B.C.

“If we want our forest sector to be strong, if we want our mining sector to be strong, our oil and gas industry to be strong — the HST is going to be something that’s going to go a long way to make that strong,” the Liberal backbencher said.

“I will hold my head high. It’s a decision we made as a caucus. It’s one that I supported then and one I’m going to continue to support,” he added.

“I think it’s going to have some good long-term benefits to the province.”

Pimm said he knows his riding has among the most signatures in the anti-HST petition, but said he has chosen not to focus on that, or on what might happen in an eventual recall campaign.

“It’s obviously something you’re thinking about, but it doesn’t consume my day. If it did, I couldn’t do my job as an MLA,” he said.

“If there’s something that comes out of it then I’ll have to deal with it at the time it happens.”

Wow, BC we in the rest of Canada wish you the best of luck in getting rid of these Liberals, and fast. We in Ontario do not have Recall Legislation, and the HST is absolutely wiped us out here in Ontario. We are now a “have not ” province and we need assistance from the Federal Goverment. Good Luck in your fight , it will be an inspriation to us all.

Having a hard time doing his work eh? I guess it’s hard sitting on gordo’s lap as his poodle. What a joke this guy is he must be one of the first on the recall hit list. Hey Pimm wake up and listen to your people not your loser leader. He will soon be gone leaving you holding his bag. Actualy thats probably what you do now?

MLA Pimm would do well to look and see how much support MLA Lekstrom got for making the decisiion he did. Constituents of all stripes like what Lekstrom did because he boldly did what was right. That’s extremely rare in BC politics and deserves recognition. Lekstrom is not a Campbell yes-man (gag!), and will be fondly remembered long after Gordo is gone, and thankfully, from all accounts, that won’t be long. Carol Taylor, where are you? I’ve never voted Liberal, but if you replaced Gordo, I would. And for all you other quaking quivering uncertain Liberal (aka Conservative ) MLA’s, if you want any respect, do what Lekstrom did. Be courageous. Don’t wither in the shadow of an outgoing washed-up micromanaging premier. His day is over, although he seems to be the last one to understand that (emperor has no clothes?) But eventually he will! And hopefully that will be the end of him, unless he shmoozes his way into federal politics with the hapless Harper, in which case his career in politics will be as short-lived as Harper’s. (Please picture my limp index finger wagging, for emphasis. Powerful,eh?) Then Campbell (and his family??? wink! wink!) could retire to Hawaii and live in peace, quiet, and hopefully obscurity.

@tim your so right when more people sign a pettion to stop something in your riding then there were people voted that for you. you would think people(PIM) would get a clue. if they really wanted to help bc and business try lowering corporate tax not taking a federal government bail out and selling us out to higher consumption taxs(hst )or wasting 500m on a new stadium dome .

why would this guy listen to his people at this point? He obviously has no problem going straight againat them to do his job as a MLA> He misses that his job is to do as his people wish not to look after himself. What si the reward a cabinet position?

This is the Liberals 3rd time at the Provincial Buffet Table. The food’s all gone! There’s nothing left of us for you to feed on! Time to get out… and don’t forget to pay the HST at the cashier on your way out!

Lekstrom did NOT say he was against the Liberal politics, but was going to listen to the constituents and ask for a delay to review the HST. A delay was rejected. He is exercising his rights by stepping down from cabinet and caucus. No matter what side of the debate you are on, this is to be respected, appreciating what a difficult decision this was. I for one say, ‘Bravo, Blair…will vote for you again’.

Still waiting to hear how the savings will be passed onto consumers and employees. If the government would spend appropriately in the first place we wouldn’t be in such a mess. Olympics, bc place roof. We don’t need to increase taxes we need better planners and less self serving corrupt baby boomers.

I have never seen this guy talking about anything. Gordon Campbell forced him to speak up for HST as he thinks other MLAs might follow Lextrom. Pimm thinks by doing this he might be offered the cabinet position. SAY NO TO HST AND LEAVE THE SINKING SHIP PIMM

its so disgraceful that a MLA who is elected by the people in his riding can say this when asked why his ridding has the most anit HST signatures then other ridings “It’s obviously something you’re thinking about, but it doesn’t consume my day. If it did, I couldn’t do my job as an MLA,” If your not concerned about what your riding is doing and saying your not doing your job !

We all know that since the worldwide economic crisis all governments need money because of loss of revenue. In BC, if it is not the HST it will be another kind of tax. It is inevitable. At least with the HST the people that have the least amount of disposable income, and purchase the least goods and services, will pay the least amount of tax, and the people who purchase the most goods and services will pay the most tax. Seems fair to me. Sometimes being in government cannot be a popularity contest.

Liberal MLA Pat Pim is another nutcase that cannot see the writing on the wall or read tea leaves. Pim also emulates a Neandrothal charateristic in that he can not figure out what is right or wrong. Classic example for the need of RECALL.

yeah that figures, why listen to your constituents. hell we are a bunch of rubes up here, the proof is in the pudding as they say, who did we elect to look after out best interests. I would suggest that you (PIMM) prepare a new curriculum vitae. because after the dust has settled another liar will bite the dust.

Do you realize the low end working joe , low income and vast majority of seniors ….are barely making it , this will take valuabble dollars from their pockets . There are better ways to promote business ….like removing tax!!!!!PERIOD You folks don’t get it , you are done and will always be regarded as people who had to talk from the poor to pay for the lavish period you earned off us….